Ghana Is Flying $3 Million In Cash To The World Cup To Pay Players And Avoid A Potential Boycott

The Ghanaian government is flying $3 million in cash to Brazil to prevent a potential player boycott before Ghana's World Cup match on Thursday versus Portugal, CNBC.com reports.

The dispute between the government and the Ghanaian players stemmed from a disagreement regarding the mode of pay for the players' "appearance fees." In an interview with Accra's City 93.7 FM, deputy sports minister Joseph Yamin explained that the Ghanaian government wanted to use a form of e-banking while the players wanted physical cash payments because many players have bank accounts in the countries where they play club soccer, not in Ghana.

With speculation that the team would not board its plane to Brasilia, where they'll play Portugal, Ghana President John Dramani Mahama personally intervened earlier on Wednesday to ensure that the Black Star players received their appearance fees before their match with Portugal.